Colombo, August 10: India’s spin bowling coach, Sai Raj Bhatule, has clarified that Shubman Gill’s absence from the first two days of the warm-up match against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI was purely precautionary. He stated that the right-handed batsman is fully fit and ready for the first Test starting on August 15 in Galle.
Gill missed the initial days of the warm-up match due to a finger injury sustained during Thursday’s practice session. However, he returned to open in the second innings, showcasing impressive form with a score of 44 runs.
In a press conference after the match, Bhatule said, “It was just a precaution. He is perfectly fine. He was training, and the management decided to rest him on the first day. I think everything went well, and the way he batted in the second innings was excellent. He is completely ready for the Test match.”
Emphasizing the meticulous preparation for the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka, Bhatule noted that Gill leaves no stone unturned while preparing against the opposing team’s bowling lineup. He remarked, “I believe Shubman takes his preparation very seriously and is a detail-oriented player. He understands what the bowling attack needs for that particular series, which has been successful for the Sri Lankan team, and he prepares accordingly. Therefore, our net bowlers had a good opportunity to bowl to Shubman, and we were working on conditions that he responds well to. I think this helps him in his preparation, and that was our aim.”
Discussing the plan to give fast bowlers Gurnoor Barar and Mohammed Siraj batting time, Bhatule mentioned that contributing with the bat is also part of the strategy for the Test series. He said, “As you saw, the lower-order bowlers—Gurnoor and Siraj—batted well. There is a process. All lower-order bowlers, who typically bat at the bottom, play a crucial role in contributing to the team’s score in Test matches, and that’s the entire process. We are encouraging them to bat as much as possible in the nets so they can see how they can contribute to the team’s score.”
Left-handed top-order batsman Devdutt Padikkal also made an impact in this match, scoring an unbeaten 142 runs in the first innings, strengthening his claim for a spot in the playing eleven, especially since Sai Sudharsan is out of the series due to a stress reaction in his right toe.
Bhatule commented, “I think whoever gets the chance—Devdutt got this opportunity. He played openly and batted very well, and he is ready to play. Whatever decision we make, we will assess the pitch when we reach Galle, and any decisions will be made then. However, he has scored a lot of runs, and his confidence is high. Now, whether we select him or not, or if he makes it into the eleven, we will determine that once we arrive in Galle.”
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